The Avengers all sit in the junky little restaurant right near the area where the destruction was wrought not all that long ago in New York City. They are not wearing their uniforms, and all of them are eating Shawarma out of plastic baskets. They do not speak, they just eat, and look at the table. Finally Tony breaks the silence.
"I just have to say that you all preformed greatly today." He says, putting the piece of shawarma into the basket and leans back into his chair allowing the front legs to lift off the floor. He links his hands behind his head, and smiles, even though it looks more like a wince.
"So where did they put Loki?" he asks conversationally, looking at all the people around the table. Tasha speaks first,
"They put him in a container similar to the one he was in on the ship." Nods all around, Thor's muscles tighten, and Bruce sighs.
"I should probably stay away from it, eh?" he responds attempting to be funny, Thor puts down his food and tenses more, hunching over.
"You okay big guy?" Tasha enquires, putting her hand on his arm. He shakes his head. "No." he says, his voice shaking slightly, "
No, I am not okay, as you say." His voice gets louder, stronger, angrier. "He is my brother, and he is being kept in a cage like an animal." Steve and Clint look stoically down at the table, Tony looks shaken, and Tasha stands her ground, hand on his arm. Bruce looks awkward, then joins the stoic table watchers. Then again, he's not the best authority on not getting angry.
"Listen Thor," Tasha begins, gripping his arm a little harder than before, "We're gonna send Loki back home with you, and you both will bring the Tesseract back." He grips the side of the table, chuckling under his breath.
"That is all you humans care about, getting rid of your precious tesseract. You care nothing about how. You only care about yourselves." Tasha's eyes widen but besides that she seems calm, she continues on, slowly, measured.
"We'll talk to Fury, we can convince him to let your brother go back with you." She nods reassuringly;
"He might even let him keep the glow stick of destiny" interjects Tony, almost smiling at his wit. She shoots him a look that could melt glass.
"Tony," Steve says disapprovingly "Can't you feel a little pity for once in your life?" Tony inclines his head,
"Like you did for me when we were putting together the Avengers initiative?" Tony shoots back putting down the front of his chair, throwing his arms onto the table, leaning towards Steve.
"Okay, guys, let's just calm down, we just saved the world, let's just eat our damn food!" Bruce grumbles through clenched teeth. Hawkeye moves his hand onto the holster of arrows slung across his back.
"Dr. Banner, I need you to calm down," Tasha starts, her hand sliding down to the holster at her hip. He sighs out of his nose,
"How many times do I have to ask you to call me Bruce?" She's still fingering her gun holster, "Honestly," he replies throwing his hands up, in mock surrender,
"I'm relaxed." He flips his hair out of his eyes, and stands, "I'm going to the men's room." He leaves the table, and everyone returns to eating. Clint drops his hand down and interlocks his fingers with Tasha's. Thor continues brooding, not sure what to do with himself and with no idea how to help his brother.
Once Bruce comes back Tasha excuses herself and walks to the lady's room.
"You heard everything, right?" Static takes over her earpiece as she gets connected to S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters
"Yes I did Romanov, that doesn't mean I have to like it." She shakes her head, and sits on the edge of the sink.
"I know, but having the wrath of Thor on the whole planet might be worse then sending Loki back to Asgard." More static,
"It's a stupid ass decision, but I think we have to." She stood up and walked back to the table, "Just what I needed to hear." She slides down into her seat, and places her elbows on the table and put her chin on her folded hands. She looks around quickly,
"Where's Thor?" she asks her voice rising against her will.
All of the men crowded around the table look at each other, and then finally back at Tasha.
"He just left." In a flash she is on her feet
"What the hell do you mean?" she looks around at the men's awkward faces, "and it didn't occur to you to follow him?" Tony speaks first
"I'll go." And before he's even finished Steve says
"Me, too." And they both stand.
"Guys, do you really think that's such a great idea, given your history?" Pipes up Bruce, looking concerned,
"Yeah," Clint concurs, chuckling, "You almost tore each other apart last time, and look how well you two get along." Suddenly in a flash, Tasha cries,
"I bet I know where he's going!" Everyone at the table swings their heads around to look at her,
"He's going to find Loki." Everyone's eyes widen,
"Or Jane." Tony adds,
"Stark, I didn't peg you as a romantic, at all." Steve says, sounding genuinely surprised, "Well, think about it, wouldn't you want someone who is in your corner?" This statement makes a lot of sense and they nod. "He might go after Loki, though, given his fondness of him." They all look at each other,
"So we split up." Steve says, as though this is the obvious move, "Tony and I will go to find Jane, and Ms. Tasha, Clint and Dr. Banner will go find Loki," Bruce rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
"Bruce," he reminds them firmly,
"And why should we go to Loki?" snaps Clint, "I don't particularly want to go back to the man who stuck his hands into my brain." Tasha grabs his hand under the table and squeezes it,
"Clint, it's okay, we've got each other, we can protect each other." He nods,
"I still think we should send the others." Tasha rolls her eyes,
"Knock it off, Clint." Steve claps his hands and puts a fist into the middle of the table,
"Break?" everyone looks at him tiredly, "Do people still do that?" the people sitting around the table nod, "Alright, on three?" everyone puts their fists in. "1…2…3…"
Everyone shouts, "BREAK!" and they stand up and head towards the exit. Once they exit Tony stops,
"Wait!" he jogs back into the restaurant and throws a hundred on the table. "Keep the change!" he calls and jogs back out to where the group is standing a few doors down. "The earth's mightiest heroes who steal food?" he shakes his head, "I don't think so." Clint slides his quiver around his back, and hands out small round walkie-talkies, with screens on them. "They have GPS, and send text messages." They flip open the circular screen covering and look at them, and familiarize themselves with them.
"Alright, let's go." Steve smiles, and they walk off in separate directions.
"Hey, Tony," Steve asks, "Where is Jane?" Tony turns to look at him,
"I uh… tapped into the S.H.I.E.L.D database, and I'm pretty sure she's on an island just south of the Dominican Republic." Steve nods,
"And how are we gonna get there?" Steve enquires, Tony smiles.
"I know how I am gonna get there, but you, hotshot, are a whole different issue." Steve rolls his eyes, and doesn't look amused.
"Can't I borrow one of your suits or something?" Tony smiles,
"Yeah! No." They keep walking up the street toward Stark tower, "I bet I could get you something. We might be travelling a lot, so we need to get something for you and Jane." They keep walking towards Stark towers, and once they get inside they ride up to the very top floor. "How do you feel about this baby?" He asks pointing to a two-seater micro plane in flashy red and gold, "Pretty straightforward nav, it will fit the two of us the way there, and then Jane the way back." He smiles and leans on the hull, "Perfect." Steve shrugs,
"Not to ask the obvious question, but what about Thor?" Tony grins, and opens the cockpit,
"He can do his swingy hammer thing, or if not, I can carry you." Steve snorts,
"Hot and bothered are we?" Calls Tony from inside the plane,
"No," Steve considers, "Not just no, no way in heck." They both laugh, and Tony starts towards the door,
"JARVIS, I'm gonna need you to take Flying Stark 4 to the pad, please." He types a few figures into the keyboard that springs out of the wall.
"Yes sir," JARVIS' mechanically chipper voice responds.
"Alright, Steve, let's get your suit and mine, and then we'll head out." He turns to look out the broken window of Stark tower. Steve puts his hand on Tony's shoulder.
"You alright?" Tony shudders and walks toward the door at a fast clip.
"'Course I am, let's move!" He gets into the elevator, and Steve seems unsure whether or not to follow, and Tony yanks him into the elevator.